In Nick of time: a historic first
SUBIC – Seychelles’ Nick Baldwin endured the ultimate challenge in endurance racing, ruling the elite men’s side in emphatic fashion to crown himself the first Century Tuna full Ironman champion from sun up to sun down here yesterday.
Three months after dominating the race in his home country, Baldwin sustained his top form, outclassing the field with a big fightback in the bike leg before outdueling fancied New Zealand’s Cameron Brown in the grueling full marathon phase of the punishing 3.2K swim, 180K bike and 42K run race.
The 30-year-old Baldwin actually trailed early on but struck with 56.9K to go in the bike phase and fended off any threat from Brown in the run stage to clock 8:50:13, below the 8:08:07 posted by Swede Jesper Svensson in Brazil last month but enough to net him the historic first full-distance Ironman title in the country. He won by six minutes, 36 seconds over Brown (8:56:49). “When I was suffering in the run, I think all the running I did earlier this year definitely helped today. I am pleased in the end that I did that,” said Baldwin, who also etched personal history in winning his first-ever Ironman title after 25 finishes.
Great Britain’s Liz Blatchford, on the other hand, quickly made impact in her return to full Ironman racing after giving birth to her one-year-old baby as she dominated the women’s pro side in 9:22:22 in the event backed by Century Tuna, which put up the first full Ironman, produced by Sunrise Events, Inc., in the country after successfully staging three 5150 and three 70.3 events.
“Being a mother is challenging in a lot of ways. And it can make you stronger as a person and you can use that as an athlete,” said Blatchford, who shrugged off any pain as she caught sight of her daughter waving at her from the sidelines 20 kilometers into the run course.
Blatchford set the pace throughout and was a whopping 18:23 ahead of runner-up Australian Dimity Lee-Duke who logged 9:40:45.
Brown, a two-time second placer in the Hawaii Ironman World Championships, tried to close the gap in the run phase but Baldwin willed his way to the finish.
“Cameron is one of the best Ironman athletes in the world and when he’s not far behind you and he’s gaining, you’re scared and I was very scared today. I was just gritting my teeth and just pushing and giving it everything I had,” said Baldwin.
Kiwi Simon Cochrane, who set the pace in the swim leg and until the 62.2K mark of the bike course, secured third place at 8:58:58.
With the Ironman title already in the bag, Baldwin took his time in crossing the tape.
He took a Seychelles flag meters away from the finish line, carried it proudly on his back and made his joyous walk of victory to the end.
Sharing the spotlight were the Ironman 70.3 winners, led by Andy Wibowo (4:39:39) from the 35-39 age group division of the event, which also staked 25 slots in the World Championship at the Nelson Mandela Bay in South, Africa this September.
Competitions in the other age-group divisions were still ongoing at presstime with the cut-off set at 12:30 a.m. Monday.
The first full Ironman, presented by Alaska, Tourism Promotions Board and Department of Tourism, also served as a fitting event for SEI’s 10th anniversary celebrations and a decade of Ironman staging in the country.
Nick Baldwin of Seychelles falls down on his knees after surviving and winning the exacting Century Tuna first Ironman Philippines in Subic. Inset shows Liz Blatchford of Great Britain celebrating her victory in the women’s pro side. JUN MENDOZA